Floor cleaning device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a floor cleaning device comprising a flat cleaning head ( 1 ) which is guided on a stick whereby the underside of the cleaning head is covered with interchangeable cleaning textile material ( 5 ) which is provided on the end thereof with fixing lugs ( 4 ) which protrude above the underside of the cleaning head ( 1 ) and which when upwardly folded extend as far as the topside of the cleaning head ( 1 ) and can be secured in clamping slits ( 3 ) arranged therein. In order to be able to use the inventive floor cleaning device for wet-wiping purposes, the cleaning textile material ( 5 ) is formed by a machine-washable cleaning plush material ( 6 ) on the lower area of the cleaning head ( 1 ), whereby the right-hand threads ( 7 ) or loops thereof protrude downwards in the direction of the surface which is to be cleaned. A needled felt water-storage layer ( 8 ) is disposed above the cleaning plush material ( 6 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a floor cleaning device comprising aflat cleaning head which is guided on a stick, the underside of which iscovered by an interchangeable cleaning textile material, which isprovided on the edges thereof with attachment tabs which protrude abovethe underside of the cleaning head and which when upwardly folded extendas far as the topside of the cleaning head and can be grasped inclamping slits arranged therein.

[0002] In the case of cleaning devices known according to the state ofthe art, of the type stated, the cleaning textile material is configuredas a thin and light dust cloth, which consists of a thin nonwoven fabrichaving dust-attracting properties, which is disposed of, as a whole,after use. A particular advantage of such floor cleaning devices is thatthe effort for attaching the cleaning textile material on the cleaninghead is understandably slight. This is because merely the attachmenttabs which protrude above the underside of the cleaning head areprovided for attachment, which when upwardly folded extend as far as thetopside of the cleaning head and can be grasped in clamping slitsarranged therein. This simple method of attachment presupposes, however,that the cleaning textile material is very light, so that the relativelylow holding forces are sufficient to fix the cleaning textile materialin place on the cleaning head, with sufficient firmness.

[0003] According to the state of the art, floor mopping covers are alsoknown that are stretched over a stretching frame guided on a stick, as astretched cover. Such a stretched cover has a heavy cleaning textilematerial that extends beyond the stretching frame to all sides, whichconsists of machine-washable material, in most cases, and at the top ofwhich stretching pockets are provided, into which the stretching frameengages. The cleaning textile material and the stretching pockets must,of course, be structured to be very robust and tear-resistant, so thatthey are not torn apart by the stretching forces when they are stretchedonto the stretching frame. Accordingly, the production of floor moppingcovers for such stretching frames is complicated and expensive.

[0004] It is the task of the invention to further develop the floorcleaning device of the type stated initially, in simple manner, so thatit is suitable for wet mopping work.

[0005] To accomplish this task, the invention proposes, proceeding fromthe floor cleaning device of the type stated initially, that thecleaning textile material is formed by a machine-washable cleaning plushmaterial on the lower area of the cleaning head, whereby the pilethreads or loops protrude downwards in the direction of the surfacewhich is to be cleaned.

[0006] Since, in the case of the floor cleaning device according to theinvention, the cleaning plush material suitable for wet mopping work iscovered by the cleaning head over its entire surface area, thehorizontal forces that occur during the wet mopping work are introduceddirectly into the cleaning head over the entire cleaning surface,without putting stress on the attachment pockets. The attachment pocketsmust therefore carry the weight of the cleaning textile material and anywater absorbed by the cleaning textile material only when the cleaninghead is lifted up. In contrast to the stretch covers known from thestate of the art, the cleaning textile material does not have to absorbany stretching forces. For this reason, the cleaning textile materialcan be fixed in place on the cleaning head or released from it in simplemanner, just like a light dust cloth. Because the cleaning plushmaterial is machine-washable, the cleaning textile material of the floorcleaning device according to the invention is reusable, so that lesswaste that must be disposed of occurs.

[0007] In order to be able to absorb more water, if necessary, and inorder to improve the cleaning effect, it is furthermore provided thatthe cleaning textile material is configured in at least two layers belowthe cleaning head, and has a water-storage layer above the cleaningplush material. This water-storage layer can absorb additional water.Because the cleaning head presses on the entire cleaning surface fromabove, this water can easily be pressed out of the water-storage layer,in order to support the cleaning work. In contrast, if the pressure onthe cleaning head is relieved, the water-storage layer picks up dirtywater from the floor, to the same extent.

[0008] The water-storage layer has particularly good storage andabsorption properties if it is configured as a needled felt. It ispractical if this needled felt consists of viscose fibers, which areknown to be particularly absorbent. Alternatively, the water-storagelayer can also consist of sponge material.

[0009] It is practical if the layers of the cleaning textile materialare sewn together, whereby the cleaning textile material is given acertain stiffness. This stiffness is useful, because this makes iteasier to distribute the forces that are exerted on the cleaning textilematerial by the cleaning head.

[0010] It is practical if the attachment tabs that protrude beyond thecleaning textile material consist of a soft, tear-resistant nonwovenfabric, which is sewn together with the needled felt and the cleaningplush material. This soft, tear-resistant nonwoven fabric can be pressedinto the clamping slits of the cleaning head, to attach the cleaningtextile material on the cleaning head, in simple manner, and can bepulled out of them again without being damaged.

[0011] The cleaning plush material itself can consist, for example, ofcotton fibers and/or viscose fibers. These fibers are particularlyabsorbent. Alternatively, the cleaning plush material can also consistof suitable synthetic fibers, preferably of cleaning-active microfibers.Such microfibers are known to have a particularly great cleaningstrength.

[0012] An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained ingreater detail in the following, using the drawings. These show:

[0013]FIG. 1 a top view of the cleaning head, with the cleaning textilematerial attached to it, from above;

[0014]FIG. 2 a cross-section along the line A-A in FIG. 1.

[0015] In the drawings, the cleaning head, which is structured as ahollow plastic box, is referred to in its totality with the referencesymbol. It is provided on its topside with a connector 2 for a stick,not shown, with which the cleaning head can be guided over the floor.

[0016] In addition, the cleaning head 1 is provided, on its topside,with clamping slits 3 to hold attachment tabs 4 of a cleaning textilematerial 5, which is arranged below the cleaning head. The cleaningtextile material 5 has a cleaning plush material 6 below the cleaninghead 1, the pile threads of loops of which protrude downwards in thedirection of the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning plush material 6can consist, for example, of cotton fibers and/or viscose fibers, whichmake the cleaning plush material particularly absorbent. Alternatively,the cleaning plush material 6 can also consist of synthetic fibers,specifically of cleaning-active microfibers, which give the cleaningplush material 6 a particularly good cleaning capacity.

[0017] Above the cleaning plush material 6, in other words between thecleaning plush material 6 and the underside of the cleaning head 1, awater-storage layer 8 configured as a needled felt is provided, which issewn together with the cleaning plush material 6 by means of seams 9.The needled felt, which is provided as the water-storage layer 8,preferably consists of viscose fibers, which are particularly absorbent.Alternatively, it can also consist of sponge material, for example of aviscose sponge.

[0018] The attachment tabs 4, which consist of a particularlytear-resistant but soft polyester nonwoven fabric, are sewn in betweenthe cleaning plush material 6 and the water-storage layer 8, andprotrude beyond the underside of the cleaning head 1 towards the sides.As is evident from the drawing, they are folded up as far as the topsideof the cleaning head 1, in order to attach the cleaning textile material5 on the cleaning head 1, and there they can be clamped in place in theclamping slits 3 located there.

1. Floor cleaning device comprising a flat cleaning head (1) which isguided on a stick, the underside of which is covered by aninterchangeable cleaning textile material (5), which is provided on theedges thereof with attachment tabs (4) which protrude above theunderside of the cleaning head (1) and which when upwardly folded extendas far as the topside of the cleaning head (1) and can be grasped inclamping slits (3) arranged therein, characterized in that the cleaningtextile material (5) is formed by a machine-washable cleaning plushmaterial (6) on the lower area of the cleaning head (1), whereby thepile threads (7) or loops protrude downwards in the direction of thesurface which is to be cleaned.
 2. Floor cleaning device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the cleaning textile material (5) isconfigured in at least two layers below the cleaning head (1), and has awater-storage layer (8) above the cleaning plush material (6).
 3. Floorcleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that thewater-storage layer (8) is configured as a needled felt.
 4. Floorcleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that the needledfelt consists of viscose fibers.
 5. Floor cleaning device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the water-storage layer (8) consists ofsponge material.
 6. Floor cleaning device according to claim 1,characterized in that the layers (6, 8) of the cleaning textile material(5) are sewn together with one another by means of seams (9).
 7. Floorcleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that theprotruding attachment tabs (3) consist of a soft, tear-resistantnonwoven fabric, which is sewn together with the water-storage layer (8)and the cleaning plush material (6).
 8. Floor cleaning device accordingto claim 7, characterized in that the tear-resistant nonwoven fabricconsists of polyester fibers.
 9. Floor cleaning device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the cleaning plush material (6) consistsof cotton fibers and/or viscose fibers.
 10. Floor cleaning deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning plush material(6) consists of synthetic fibers.
 11. Floor cleaning device according toclaim 10, characterized in that the cleaning plush material (6) consistsof cleaning-active microfibers.